Perpetual Journal January.

I am really enjoying drawing in my perpetual journal. Tiny cyclamen from the garden and Old Man's Beard (Clematis Vitalba) from the hedgerow this week.

 Making a collection of leaves from the hedgerow too.

Misty landscape - Steps lane. Trying out a new water soluble pen - it is on a tea bag paper I had in my collection of papers, a bit more texture than tissue paper. I did try this landscape on fabric but painted it too small and on fine silk so then the stitches looked clumsy. Maybe another try another time.

Hawthorn berries.

 Well the berries are done although this is not a good photo- not much light as we draw to the shortest day and

some sketches of Tuesdays walk, cold and blustery in Steps Lane.
 Merry Christmas to you all. Thank you for reading my blog ( it is great to know you are out there and encourages me to keep stitching) and I hope you have a wonderful, peaceful holiday. Follow me on Instagram at louisemaywatson. It is faster to make posts there although I like to think aloud here. You will find it easier to communicate with me on Instagram too. So I am signing off for a few days but always thinking about embroidery and stitching. Much love, x.

Hedgerow harvest - a beginning.

 Here are the blackberries, I just had to add some tiny black beads for a shine.

 Sketch book drawings- I began with the sloes.

 On Friday I had a whole day to myself in the studio - bliss! So I decided to begin a new piece. My first idea was to make a long concertina sketchbook in fabric. I started with a strip of calico and bonded (bondaweb) pieces of paper and fabrics to it for various textures.

 Silk, scrim, paper. I put some white free machine embroidery over the pieces to anchor them.(not shown)

 Now from here I began with an autumn leaf which I didn't like so covered over with more layers of fabric!

 But  I did like the sloes. So I decided to make it Autumn Hedgerow fruits or harvest. Collected more fruits, made the drawings above and yesterday put in the hawthorn berries. It will be a framed piece I think rather than a fold up book, so this way up.

 The hedgerows I collected from in the Enormous field. All part of my project to study a few fields near my house in detail. When we first moved here, 40 years ago there were more hedgerows. A lot were grubbed out to make the Enormous field. All the wildlife live in these edges and hedges. The more species the better and a clue to how old the hedgerow is. ( my shadow there taking the picture!)

Lovely sunny Autumn day.

Tiny landscapes.

 We have had misty mornings and then bright sunshine for amazing autumn colour. I have been working on a few tiny landscapes as a beginning for my new project on local landscape.

 These are on paper- the bottom one tissue paper over watercolour paper.

 This misty one on fabric, painted calico and machine embroidery.

 We had a beautiful day out at Lacock Abbey ( National Trust) on Friday. This is a tulip tree in the walled garden.

 Leaves - to see the tulip shape. Wonderful colours in the bright sunshine and against the blue, blue sky.

Lacock village in Wiltshire is very picturesque. It has been used in a lot of films, costume drama and Harry Potter. Whenever an unspoilt country village is needed for a film! This is inside the tithe barn, the sunshine streaming in through the windows.  I bought some beautiful chrysanthemums from a cottage door step, all the colours of autumn.

Playing with paint and monoprints.

 A wet Sunday afternoon so I got out my acrylic paints, rollers and geli plate.

 Just playing around with ideas of the enormous field with crops at different times of the year.

 These are on paper,

 then on fabric.

 One to stitch into. A pick up and put down piece for slow stitching.

Also working on a Rose Bay willow herb in stitch. Another diary story, third in the series.

Field Scabious.

This is the second piece in this diary/sketchbook series. 23rd July - yoga on the common, my green and turquoise mat, heat, Field Scabious, wind through the dried grasses, grass baked crisp.

 2 layers of fabric- outer painted with dyes, inner painted white and printed side panel. I drew the flower. Hand stitched.

 I used the drawings I made in July 2 years ago as reference.

Beginnings.

 I didn't get to the opening last Saturday. I have had a week of tiredness, muscle pain and general unwellness. ( no such word but you know what I mean) But that seems to be going and these things ebb and flow. Cold weather again doesn't help but worrying about it certainly doesn't. So best to relax into it, accept and take pleasure in small things. We hope to visit the ex soon and then there will be photographs.  SO moving on ........ I am putting some old bias binding around the edge of my pennant for Mo's project- Mending this broken world - see Mo Crows blog on my side bar if you don't know about it.

 Here is my strip of wedding dress spread out on my work desk. Tidy for me believe it or not! My new sketchbook in brown made by Ursula Jeakins from the Glos Guild of Craftsmen.

 It was glorious yesterday and my friend Helen,  Haggis and I walked Roundabout lane spotting wild flowers. We saw 3 different types of butterfly ( peacock, orange-tip and tortoiseshell) lots of wild flowers and swallows around the Farm barns. This is ground ivy ( inside that new sketchbook) - I draw in the hope to remember and learn names. The flowers are a deep purple blue. Small and common but perfectly beautiful.

Lastly, large and perfectly glorious a cherry tree at Westonbirt Aboretum. A Japanese visitor was seen bowing to this tree. I think we should all do the same.

Lichen and a new little book.

 No news from Newark Park yet about the exhibition. So getting on with work for Transformations. I am looking at textures for this set of work and these lichens have instant appeal for an embroiderer.

 Oh the colours and textures of the different liverworts, mosses and lichens.

 Some of these found at Westonbirt aboretum and some are local to me. I think it is a sign of good clean air. They don't grow in polluted air.

 I took a little twig home to draw and embroider.

 Started a new book to show at the Transformations exhibition, this time in fabfic rather than on paper. I stiffened the fabric with gesso first for a stiffer, papery quality.

 French knots, eyelets, beads and tufted stitches.

on the final page is a Bewick swan flying home. They leave Slimbridge wwt this time of year to make the journey back to the Russian tundra.

Summer book finished.

 Summer book is now finished! Daisy chain fastening and all glued in place!

Making a few cards to sell now, handmade and photocards. They help make some money to balance the tremendous outlay of framing and other materials. Getting there now- labels and other paperwork this week! Setting up next Monday in the hope we are not snowed in but that is forecast for this week.
Keep warm everyone!

Summer concertina sketchbook.

 I am now filling the summer concertina sketchbook with birds and flowers. A robin,

 wren,

and coal tit so far.....................3 more pages to go...........2 weeks to lift off!
My stewarding dates will be Sunday 11th, 25th March, 8th and 15th April. 11-5 Newark Park, Ozleworth. National Trust admission fee applies. Do come along and say hello, please introduce yourself it is lovely to meet my blog followers.

Snowdrops and the summer book.

 Lovely snowdrops at Newark Park on Sunday. And it is cold here with a sprinkling of snow.

 Remember these little books for the four seasons? Well I am now working on the summer one. Yes in the cold I am remembering the robin that came and perched on the yellow daisies (Inula) while we were sketching. From coldest day to hottest day. How we can travel in the mind!

Today the robins in our garden are all fluffed up and fighting to get to the seeds first. Perhaps best to stay in my mind travel, back to the hot days- I am making the covers for the summer book.